On the eve of the one-year anniversary of Osama bin Laden’s death, a new poll shows Al Qaeda has little support among Muslims in five countries — including Pakistan, where bin Laden was captured and killed by U.S. Navy SEALs.

A whopping 98 percent of Muslims in Lebanon have an unfavorable view of the terrorist group, while in Egypt, Jordan and Turkey more than 7 in 10 Muslims feel likewise, according to the Pew Research Center. In Pakistan, a slight majority of the Muslim community, 55 percent, have an unfavorable view, versus 13 percent favorable.

. . .

The Pew Research Center poll, with margins of error ranging from 4.2 to 5.2 percentage points, was conducted March 19-April 13 among 1,000 Muslims in Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon, 1,206 Muslims in Pakistan and 1,001 Muslims in Turkey.

Continued at the link.

Disclaimer: The opinions of this member are not primarily informed by western ethnocentric paradigms, stereotypes rooted in anti-Muslim/Islam hysteria, "Israel can do no wrong" intransigence, or the perceived need to protect the Judeo-Christian world from invading foreign religions and legal concepts. By expressing such views, no inherent attempt is being made to derail or hijack threads, but that may be the result. The result is not the responsibility of this member.

I do not know of anyone who despises al queda along with any and all raddical islamist terrorists groups than my Muslim neighbors! They take it as a personal insult, and a defamation of their faith.

Of course my neighbors are Americans, the men are all veterans or now serrving, and I don't recall ever seeing the women walking around town in burquas, veils, or head scarves!

The key thing is, in my opinion, how Muslims in the Middle East view al Queda, and related groups. So the report in the link is very encouraging. I'd be even happier if it included groups like Hamas and Hezbollah in the same category as al queda.

Anyway, the report is a good thing and I hope it is accurate (no reason to think otherwwise).

I do not know of anyone who despises al queda along with any and all raddical islamist terrorists groups than my Muslim neighbors! They take it as a personal insult, and a defamation of their faith.

Glad you included all radical Islamist groups.

Do you think the poll would produce the same percentages if instead of Al Quaeda the Arag-Muslim Middle East was asked about?

-- Hamas?

-- Hezbollah?

-- Islamic Jihah?

-- Iran?

-- Etc.?

Considering Al Qaeda and Hamas belong to the same Pan-Islamist global movement, I think the poll would produce similar results.

Hezbollah and Iran belong to an Islamist branch that is Shia which is a minority of Muslims, in fact the ME only represents 12% of the Islamic world and Shia branch consists of less than that, not to mention the vast majority of Shia are against extremist thought too.

The support and popularity for Islamist groups in circumstances such as Gaza is not necessarily that they want see Jews driven into the sea, it's due to the fact that Hamas provides better services such as hospitals, schools, electricity - compared to their corrupt counterweights.